Open Water
by LionJustice
Summary: Season Two, The New Neverland. Ariel and her prince are just reunited, but she still have something to take out of her chest. Can love between two beings from very different worlds be true love? P.D. There are so few fics about this pairing *sigh* What can I say? I like minorities some times.


A/N: This pairing didn't get the amount of screen time I would've liked them to have, but the one episode where that really bothered me was The New Neverland. After Regina's words to Ariel, after taking away her voice in the episode 'Ariel' about not telling her prince how she felt, I think it would have been appropiate and nice to give her that chance in that episode. And since there are so few fics about this pairing, here it is. Take it as a deleted scene, if you'd like.

This is my first shot at writting OUAT. It was a real chalenge, let me tell you. I still think I could've done better but if you liked it, let me know^^

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At the docks, while a celebration was taking place at Granny's Diner, a reunited couple walked by the beach at dusk. After all those years years, the little mermaid had found her dream prince. Neither of them looked the part of their fairytale at the moment, but that was the last thing that mattered now. At least, to one of them.

Walking hand in hand across the sandy floor, Eric, asked by the beautiful redhead, had begun his tale about those twenty-eight yearsin that new land, more precisely, after the curse was broke and everyone in town remembered who they were, that including the prince of the Marine Kingdom himself.

"I found myself in this estrange land like everyone else." He said, eyes fixed at the dark waters. The salty air blowing softly, reddish and dark locks slightly flowing. "My men came along too, and we stayed here at the docks ever since. Fishing and cutting sea produce every day."

Ariel's mind dwelled a little in the _fishing and cutting_ part of his new livelihood in Storybrooke, but didn't let it dwell for too long, due to her belly starting to twist.

She let out a shuddery breath. "Not quite the expedition you were hoping for, uh?" Her eyes never leaving the sand beneath their feet.

Then their minds traveled back to the last time they saw each other, to the Enchanted Forest, his palace, right after their first and only dance. All the things left unsaid.

Something heavy and sour settled in the redhead's insides. Something far from dead fish, this time. But that feeling, along with regretful thoughts of never having the chance to speak to him again before now, were interrupted by the sudden sound of the man's voice.

"I've waited for you." His hand squeezed hers lightly. In the back of his head he wasn't rubbing anything on her face, far from it, he wanted her to know he'd kept his promise to her.

Her hazel eyes widened, her breathing shortening unnoticed, a lump formed in her throat with the growing silence between them. She could feel his gaze on her. He was probably hurt by her not showing that day. For all she knew he's been hurt for twenty-eight years, all because of her. Snow's words to her echoed in her ears as loud as they were the day they were said.

"_He'll wait as long as possible!"_

Indeed, he waited. He waited for much longer than she would've dreamed him to. Ariel knew she should've been happy, for that's what told her that her feelings were returned. And yet, she couldn't allow herself such joy.

_'Was it worth it?'_

_'Was _she_ worth it?'_

She questioned herself. After all, curse or no curse, he wasted so much time in someone he knew nothing about. For a moment the young woman felt foolish. Sure they had one or two things in common, but sharing an adventurous spirit was not enough proof of true love.

From the moment she first saw her prince at sea, a year before the Under the Sea celebration, and rescued him from shipwreck, her heart told the little mermaid what was in his and that was enough to know she loved that human with everything she was, and everything she was not. **Love at first** **sight**, as her friend Snow White would put it.

But Eric didn't know what was in her heart…what she really was. And now that they had finally found each other, as soon as she would look at him, the little mermaid would be faced with her biggest fear.

She owed him the truth that much she was certain of, and was willing to reveal it to him at the cost of losing him. No matter what his reaction would be, he waited this long for her, he deserved the truth. It was all she could give him.

The redhead gathered the guts to look at the man beside her in the eye, his gaze always reminded her of the sea, their shade of blue, their deepness, calmness, and the feeling of home. Or what she wished would be her home, now and forever.

They stopped walking the same moment their eyes met, next thing the prince knew her fingers found a way to slip out of his grasp, a threat of fear flooded his chest as their contact broke and she took one step back away from him.

"I need to tell you something." The young woman said as she tried to swallow the lump in her throat, the dryness in her mouth made it a bit complicated to go on. He only nodded.

Taking a deep breath, her eyes closed for a second and went back to focus on the light blue of his again.

"I'm a mermaid…" His dark brows came together, the only gesture he could muster right then. He was confused, she could tell.

Did he know what a mermaid was?

His kingdom worshipped a creature half-woman half-octopus, of course he knew about mermaids, or so she assumed. Ariel scolded herself mentally. Yes, she was a mermaid, but the man was staring at a completely normal-looking girl standing on her human legs. And that, she figured, was what got that look on his face.

"Right." She nodded. Lifting her right wrist, Ariel took off the seashell bracelet. She then remembered she should have sat down first.

She saw Eric start to reach out to steady her, his reaction was not quick enough as her 'tail' hit the ground with a light thud.

The prince bent on one knee next to her, his right hand resting on her arm. "Are you alright?" His eyes searched her face with concern before he took a good look at her fins. All covered in a greenish scaly mantle and with a flip of her tail, the moon beams brought out its mythical beauty giving the brief illusion of sparkles.

Having her prince so close, after thinking he would be anything but after seeing her _real_ self, made the mermaid feel a bit silly. A nervous giggle escaped her lips, her empty hand moving to tuck a few red locks behind her ear. She looked at him one more time. "I- I don't understand. You-"

"Didn't run?"

That among other things, yell at her, fear her, be disgusted, for example. The mermaid thought.

"Now, why should I?" The more he said, the more confused she felt.

She blinked once, twice. "You mean, you don't care?"

The man smiled endearingly at her slightly less confused-more surprised expression. Mermaids were said to be able to swim across realms, he knew about that. But not to read minds, so he had to explain himself.

"But I lied to you." Ariel's quick statement beat him before he could begin, letting show the shame in her face.

He shifted to sit beside her in the sand, glancing between his boot-covered feet and her tail. "I understand why you did it." His face turned to focus on hers. "You were afraid I would not accept you, because we come from different worlds-"

"It doesn't have to be that way." Her words hurried out of her mouth, maybe faster than she intended, gesturing to the bracelet. "Not as long as I put on this."

As he saw her attempting to put her bracelet back on, his hand came to stop it. Hazel eyes looked startled at him. Maybe he didn't want her to turn into a human and send her back into the waters, away from him. Fear started to press tight in her chest, getting ready for a killing blow.

After what felt like another twenty-eight years for her, Eric spoke. "You would give up your life, your home, to be with me?" His hand still rested above hers, a light shudder came from it. He found it hard to believe someone would change her entire life for him, the simple thought struck his brain and heart leaving him wordless.

Feeling her chest a bit less tight at the pained look on his face, her other hand rose up to cup his stubbly cheek, eyes locked in his, affectionate, lovingly. "As long as I'm with you, I don't feel like I'm giving up anything." A smile tugged at her lips, her eyes began to sting with unshed tears. Her next words came out with a little choke.

"I love you, Eric."

The upper half of her body leaned forward, slowly, her face stopping a few inches from his. The redhead searched his eyes for rejection, leaving those inches for him to decide. She already made her choice, she's made it a long time ago. Now it was his turn to choose. The man's face reflected shock now, but also determination, the warmth from the hand on his cheek found its way to his chest, his heart, and nestled there. The moonlight combined with the glassy look on her eyes made them even brighter.

The prince saw the hope in the mermaid's eyes, hope of belonging somewhere. With someone. And found himself identified. That feeling drew him to her…'till closing the little space left between them. And they kissed.

That kiss felt different from their first, there were no more secrets between them. Just love, **true love**.


End file.
